We live in what is being referred to as a “post literate society” in which 40% of Americans did not read a single book last year. This is mind blowing to me, but - I can also see that with screentime (on a phone alone) being somewhere over 5 hours a day, it makes sense where most of everyone’s time is going.
However, if we can replace even one of those hours of that screentime with reading books, and that will amount to reading far more than 0 books per year!
I generally read around 20 books per year, but I figured that I could do far better than that (and did in 2023). That year also coincided with massive personal, spiritual, and professional growth - I don’t think that this is mutually exclusive and is probably correlative.
This year, I made a resolution to get back at it, and this is how I am reading more.
Replace scrolling with reading#
The most important thing I think nearly anyone can do to read more is reduce screentime on a phone. By simply installing Kindle, KoReader, Libby, AudioBookshelf, MuPDF, or one of many other reading apps, we can use this in lieu of doomscrolling social media and news websites.
Going further, we can delete social applications, youtube, and even the browser, and replace any idle time at checkouts, commuting, and where you would historically be “wasting time” with reading and listening to books.
We are simply going to “waste time”… better!
Use audio#
While I personally don’t subscribe to this method in that I don’t retain nearly as much that is being said in audio form (this is why I don’t consume podcasts, either), some swear by the ability to read while on the go simply by listening to books.
If it works for you, then awesome! I just don’t seem to benefit much from audiobooks. I may revisit this though for driving and the gym and update this post if I do use audio more often.
Have books laying around everywhere#
My wife hates this one trick!
This, for me, has been the biggest eye opener and allowed me to read ~100 pages per day over the past month or so of this experiment. I simply have books lying around in my office, in the living room, my Kobo sitting next to the bed, etc. and instead of picking up my phone, I pickup a book instead.
All things are downstream of how we spend our time - time spent reading begets more reading.
Read multiple books at a time#
Some may not like this in that they want to read one book to completion before starting on the next. I personally have anywhere from 5-15 books on the go at once. Off the top of my head, here is a non-exhaustive list of what I have on the go:
- The Brothers Karamazov
- The Go Programming Language
- The Art of Unix Programming
- The Republic
- An Introduction to the Devout Life
- The C Programming Language (K&R)
- Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
- Chruch Fathers
- Against the Machine
- The Bible (Everyday, first thing I read)
- Operating Systems, Three Easy Pieces
- Computer Systems: A Programmers Perspective
- Designing Data-Intensive Applications
I find that reading this way is tremendously interesting in that there is “cross-pollination” between domains and a growing connection between all things. You will find authors across time and geographical location discussing the same quote, book, or idea, across domains of theology, physics, computer science, design, art, everything. I then sit and meditate with what I’ve ingested, and create connections of my own. It’s fascinating.
Not only this but, it’s a “cheat” in that if I get bored with one book/topic, I just go on to another, in one big circle. Boredom doesn’t mean ceasing to read, just selecting something else that I am actually in the mood for.
Read first thing in the morning#
The very first thing I do in the morning is make the Sign of the Cross and Pray. The very next thing I do is sit down to read. I have started to wake up earlier in order to get the time to myself so I can do this, and it is truly awesome to get an hour or so or reading in before starting work. I read 10 pages, do some pushups and stretching, read 10 more pages, more physical activity, and repeat for about an hour.
Most days I get about 30-50 pages in before anything, and I feel that it gets the wheels turning in my mind for writing, creating, etc. as I have always found reading to be “conversational”. I am not usually gung-ho in the morning to immediately begin working, and this has immensely helped my ability to drop into work and the rest of the day. Try it out!
Keep track of your books and make it fun#
If you are so inclined to use applications such as Goodreads or the like, then this can be a fun way to keep track of that which you are reading and “compete” with friends. I’d recommend against giving Amazon all your data, but you do you. I also think that reading has become an extension of social media in that there is an element of “one-uppmanship” which I don’t care to participate in.
I personally keep a /reading page on my blog for the current year, and keep track that way. It’s a fun way to discuss books when people can see what you’re reading on your blog and it’s a good conversation starter.
“I have no time to read”#
I have always hated the rationalization that “reading is too slow”, or that “I have no time to read!” As I said above, if you have time to scroll your phone, you have time to read and converse with the greatest minds that have ever lived.
We need to slow down more than ever in this crazy, accelerating world. I find that almost no one sits and chews on ideas anymore, and that is detrimental to the future of humanity if we are not to create polymaths and people of skill. If we don’t have time to read, we don’t have time to grow, and that is simply not true. So, read more!
Fin#
I am thankful that my parents and teachers instilled a love of reading in me from a young age. Truly, one can learn about anything and everything if we only pick up a book and start flipping through. I personally don’t want to live in a post-literate society, I want to discuss these great works and continue to learn from everyone that’s come before, so that is why I choose to keep reading, and to read as much as I possibly can.
Try it out for a month, and see how much you fall (back) in love with reading. I think we have all just forgotten how amazing it is to pick up a great book and lose ourselves in the worlds and ideas of another’s mind.
As always, God bless, and until next time.
If you enjoyed this post, consider Supporting my work, Checking out my book, Working with me, or sending me an Email to tell me what you think.